Viola, Johnny-Jump Up

Short Description

Delicately fragrant flowers are edible and make delightful garnishes.

Full Description

HEIRLOOM. Very winter hardy and eager to self-sow in the shade of summer plants, violas are cheerful surprises in the cool months. Johnny-Jump Up is tricolored in bright purple, yellow and white. Violas will rebloom in fall if cut back in the heat of summer.

Sun
The amount of sunlight this product needs daily in order to perform well in the garden. Full sun means 6 hours of direct sun per day; partial sun means 2-4 hours of direct sun per day; shade means little or no direct sun.

Full Sun, Part Sun

Height
The typical height of this product at maturity.

10 inches

Spread
The width of the plant at maturity.

6 inches

Ornamental Use
Ways in which the product may be used in the garden for ornamental effect.

Beds, Container

Life Cycle
This refers to whether a plant is an annual, biennial or perennial. Annuals complete their life cycles in one year; biennials produce foliage the first year and bloom and go to seed the second year; perennials can live for more than two years.

Annual

Sow Method
This refers to whether the seed should be sown early indoors and the seedlings transplanted outside later, or if the seed should be sown directly in the garden at the recommended planting time.

As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours.

Thin to one seedling per cell when they have two sets of leaves.

Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions.

Transplant hardened-off seedlings to the garden after the heavy frost.

Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off”. Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning. This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding.

Sowing Directly in the Garden:

Direct sow in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil in early spring in the North, or fall in the South.

Prepare the soil by removing weeds and working organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil; then level and smooth.

Most plants respond well to soils amended with organic matter. Compost is a wonderful form of organic matter with a good balance of nutrients and an ideal pH level, it can be added to your planting area at any time. If compost is not available, top dress the soil after planting with 1-2 inches of organic mulch, which will begin to breakdown into compost. After the growing season, a soil test will indicate what soil amendments are needed for the following season.

Sow thinly and evenly and cover with ¼ inch of fine soil.

Firm lightly and keep evenly moist.

Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days depending on the soil and weather conditions.

Planting in the Garden:

Select a location in full sun to part shade with well-drained soil.

Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 6-12, inches removing any debris, and lightly raking as level as possible.

The addition of organic matter (leaf mold, compost, well-rotted manure) benefits all gardens and is essential in recently constructed neighborhoods.

Plant on a cloudy day or in late afternoon to reduce transplant shock.

Dig a hole for each plant, approximately 12-14 inches apart large enough to amply accommodate the root ball.

Unpot the plant and gently loosen the root ball with your hands to encourage good root growth.

Place the top of the root ball even with the level of the surrounding soil. Fill with soil to the top of the root ball. Press soil down firmly with your hand.

Use the plant tag as a location marker.

Water well.

Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating.

Mulches also help retain soil moisture and maintain even soil temperatures. For annuals an organic mulch of shredded leaves lends a natural look to the bed and will improve the soil as it breaks down in time. Always keep mulches off a plant’s stems to prevent possible rot.

Plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It's best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

Until plants become established, some protection from extreme winds and direct, hot sunlight may be necessary. Good air movement is also important.

After new growth appears, a light fertilizer may be applied. Keep granular fertilizers away from the plant crown and foliage to avoid burn injury. Use low rates of a slow release fertilizer, as higher rates may encourage root rots.

Remove spent flower heads to keep plants flowering.

Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.

Fall planted plants will bloom until there is a hard frost. They will reappear in spring and may die back in the heat of the following summer.

Violas can be cut back in midsummer as they get scraggly, which encourages new growth and re-blooming when cool temperatures return in the fall.

Add violas to mixed plantings with low-growing perennials.

They are pretty groundcovers, excellent under deciduous trees, and can be used alone or with other plants such as common periwinkle.

Use violas anywhere you need an extra touch of color in spring-among other edging plants, with spring bulbs, in containers, and mixed beds and borders.

Flowers are edible and can be added to salads or used to garnish plates.

Product Details

Sun

Full Sun, Part Sun

Height

10 inches

Spread

6 inches

Ornamental Use

Beds, Container

Life Cycle

Annual

Sow Method

Indoor Sow

Flowering

Yes

Bloom Duration

10 weeks

Flower color

Purple, Yellow

Reviews

Viola, Johnny-Jump Up is rated
4.5 out of
5 by
11.

Rated 1 out of
5 by
Viola17 from
No sign.Bought this three months ago. Followed all directions. Sunlight. Watering. Cultivation. Not a single plant ever appeared. Burpee is a good company, so I have no explanation for this disappointing failure.

Date published: 2017-10-15

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Vazmami from
AMAZING!!!!!Wanted this color in my bed and oh my did I get color!! The picture does not do it justice!!!

Date published: 2014-09-21

Rated 4 out of
5 by
flower84 from
Joy to those hard to grow areas!not going to lie, hard to grow from seed. But once you get them going they seed themselves and you will have every hole in your garden full of happy little flowers from spring until frost. They just don't quit and are such pretty additions to any garden!

Date published: 2013-03-19

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Magickal from
Hilarious!Lovely little "faces" that turn towards the sun...they seem to be looking right at you! Adorable plant with a personality all its own, and very easy to care for

Date published: 2012-05-16

Rated 5 out of
5 by
OhNoCocoLoco from
Stunning!!!Very easy to grow, beautiful little blooms! As others have said, they have a delightful scent, though it is very faint. They are putting out more blooms than I had expected, which if fantastic! I notice mine have a touch less yellow than the ones in Burpee's pictures, but they are absolutely amazing nonetheless and I will be purchasing the seeds again next year!

Date published: 2011-04-24

Rated 5 out of
5 by
tjsgarden from
Very Cute BloomsI grew these in soil that had the remnants of tulip bulbs. They did really well and didn't take long to get going. I moved them to this cute little birdhouse and they just sprouted out of all the open spaces. It was a nice effect. They vary in size and shape and even have some slight color differences. Some have more purple, others have more yellow, etc. I would definitely buy these again.

Date published: 2009-07-01

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Anonymous from
So Cute!I know this will sound silly, but these flowers cheered me up every time I'd look at them. They look like they have faces with their own little personalities. I tried these and some vincas as my first experience with flower gardening, and I was impressed with the violas. They were easy to maintain, and they produced many more blooms than I expected them to. I used plastic, small-sized flower pots for them, and I would definitely recommend them to an apartment gardener like myself.

Date published: 2009-03-07

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mxstressica from
Gorgeous alternative to pansiesI love these flowers! They have a delicate sweet fragrance, and do very well in hanging baskets.
The flowers are delicate and very abundant... much much more abundant than pansies, and the overall shape of the plant is pleasing to the eye and delicate.
I like pansies for cold weather color, but you can't beat violas as an excellent alternative - you don't see them as often and the flowers hold their shape well.
These plants flowered well into the hot summer months. Just be sure to keep them pruned somewhat - they get a little "leggy" if you leave them to do what they please. They flower better too with a little trim.